Demand for an independent international investigation on the war crimes in Sri Lanka.

For years we have witnessed the brutal treatment of the Tamil people by the Sri Lankan Government. As a Tamilian and a Human Rights defender, I have been pained by the crimes against Tamils that occurred in Sri lanka.

That’s why I started a petition asking the Indian Government to demand an independent international investigation of genocide and war crimes during the recent Civil War in Sri Lanka.

We don’t have much time - on 22nd March 2013, the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) will be voting on a resolution urging Sri Lanka to carry out an internal investigation. However, an independent international investigation against these alleged human rights violations is the need of the hour.

The North and East of the island is a permanent military occupation that tramples on the basic rights of the Tamil minority. These military forces of Sri Lankan government should be withdrawn immediately.

An independent enquiry focusing the organized Genocide of Sri Lankan military forces should be conducted with the member states of UN and they should be permitted to visit any part of Sri Lanka for an hindrance free investigation.

As a neighbouring country, India has a responsibility towards the ethnic Tamil people in Sri Lanka, who faced human rights violations during the civil war. We cannot forget that the historic fact that they have been sent from India as slaves to improve the standard of life in Sri Lanka during British regime.

An independent and fair probe into the genocide and human rights violations, and fixing accountability is a crucial step towards the rehabilitation of the affected Tamil people in the war-ravaged northern Sri Lanka. The probe should focus extrajudicial killings, rape against tamil women, torture, forced disappearances, intimidation and violent reprisals against journalists and human rights activists.

Political leaders in Tamilnadu have also expressed the same opinion and have called on the Indian Government to take a “historic, strong, and courageous stand on the issue”.

Sign this petition and join me in urging Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid to demand a fair international probe into the alleged human rights violations committed during the civil war.

Letter to

Prime Minister of IndiaManmohan Singh

Minster of External AffairsSalman Khurshid

On 22nd March 2013, the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) will be voting on a resolution urging Sri Lanka to carry out an internal investigation. However, an independent international investigation against these alleged human rights violations is the need of the hour.

Though the resolution in its current form calls for an internal investigation, India should rise up to the challenge and call for an independent international investigation into the alleged war crimes.

As a neighbouring country, India also has a responsibility towards the ethnic Tamil people in Sri Lanka, who allegedly faced human rights violations during the civil war. An independent and fair probe into the alleged human rights violations and fixing accountability is a crucial step towards the rehabilitation of the affected people in the war ravaged northern Sri Lanka.

Through this petition I am urging Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid to demand a fair international probe into the alleged human rights violations committed during the civil war.